By shortly after 9:00 PM, many locals were already sitting in the newly updated stadium, which is expected to host important leaders, including President William Ruto, for the celebrations on Sunday, June 1, 2025.
Reports said that security officers had to open the gates around 9:30 PM because people started lining up as early as 7 PM to get in.
Videos online showed the stadium nearly half full by 10:30 PM, and by midnight, it was completely filled.
This stadium will host this year’s Madaraka Day celebrations, a national holiday that marks Kenya’s independence in 1963.
Slovenian President Pirc Musar, who is visiting Kenya for the first time, will be the guest of honour at the celebrations in Homa Bay.
Speaking at Tom Mboya University on the same Saturday, government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura explained that Homa Bay was chosen for its location by Lake Victoria, which helps highlight this year’s theme: “Using Kenya’s Blue Economy for Sustainable Growth.”
Mwaura said, “This year’s Madaraka Day, held in the heart of Nyanza, is more than just a celebration; it shows the Kenya Kwanza government’s plan to promote economic growth with a focus on the blue economy and maritime development.”
